My daughter who is now 12, has been carefully cared for by Dawn for the past 10 years. We really couldn't have wished for anybody better to look after our daughter.

Dawn provides a really caring, secure but disciplined environment for the children that she looks after. Taya started senior school last year and one of our considerations in choosing her school as she turned 11 was that she was still able to be looked after by Dawn after school. This was also a big factor when Taya was 4 and we were selecting her primary school.

Back then three of the factors in determining what a great childminder Dawn is

1. the happiness shown on Taya's face when we peep through the window when she doesn't know we are there
2. the compliments that we receive for Taya's manners and social skills
3. the awareness Taya has of the local community - through long walks regardless of the weather!!

Dawn seems to have the magic touch when it come to caring for the children and has a huge amount of energy which she devotes to kids groups, arts and crafts, cooking, reading and writing. I certainly felt that by the time Taya started school she had had so many experiences with Dawn that she was able to talk about.

As Taya has grown older Dawn has continued to care for her after school and during the holidays. Taya has a huge amount of respect for Dawn who she thinks the world of! Over the years that have developed a lovely relationship.

If there is an award for Childminder of the Year, or should we say Decade, then Dawn certainly gets our vote.